Position measuring method, and semiconductor device manufacturing method and apparatus using the same

• Main Author: Koga, Shinichiro
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.03.2003

This invention relates to a position measuring method and a semiconductor exposure apparatus using the same. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a position measuring method and a semiconductor exposure apparatus using the same, which is particularly suitably applicable, for example, in a semiconductor exposure apparatus for projecting and printing an electronic circuit pattern onto a semiconductor substrate, to perform position measurement for an alignment mark of a wafer, to be used for precise alignment, or to perform relative alignment between a wafer and a mask, between a mask and a certain reference position in an apparatus, and between components in an apparatus, for example. A position measuring method for measuring a position of a mark formed on an object, includes detecting a mark waveform obtainable from the mark, acquiring a difference between the detected mark waveform and a reference waveform, correcting at least one of the mark waveform and the reference waveform on the basis of the acquired difference, and determining the position of the mark on the basis of (i) the corrected mark waveform and the reference waveform, (ii) the mark waveform and the corrected reference waveform, or (iii) the corrected waveform and the corrected reference waveform.